Lidia Prudovskaia
Lidia Prudovskaia, Arkhangelsk Oblast. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Lidiia Prudovskaya's case on repeated discrediting of the Russian army forces”. Sentence (June 5, 2025): a fine of 200,000 rubles. Status: at large.
In brief
Arkhangelsk Oblast · Mirny · Anti-war cases
Sentence
a fine of 200,000 rubles
Upheld August 11, 2025
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
Full wording of the charges
In September 2022, Prudovskaya was fined 35,000 rubles for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). According to the court ruling, in April and June 2022, she published eight posts on her VKontakte (Russian alternative to Facebook) page, including ones concerning the Russian president and military personnel.
Latest event
August 11, 2025 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Persecution begins
Lidiia Prudovskaya's case on repeated discrediting of the Russian army forces
Criminal case
Lidiia Prudovskaya's case on repeated discrediting of the Russian army forces
- Case number
- 1-6/2024 (1-91/2023;)
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Mirny, Arkhangelsk region. She previously worked at a construction and installation site of JSC “Main Directorate for Troops’ Facilities,” under the Ministry of Defence. On 24 July 2023, she was served with a search order, which never took place. Prudovskaya and her nine- and ten-year-old children (as witnesses) were summoned for questioning in a case concerning the discrediting of the Armed Forces. The case was referred to court. On 26 March 2024, the court declared Prudovskaya wanted and ordered her arrest in absentia, as she did not appear at the hearing and, according to the prosecutor, had left Russia.
In September 2024, it became known that Prudovskaya had been deprived of parental rights for her 12-year-old foster son back in April, because after leaving with her children, she failed to inform the guardianship authorities of the foster child’s new place of residence the day after moving. The boy was declared wanted. In June 2025, a court sentenced Prudovskaya in absentia to a fine of 200,000 rubles, despite the prosecutor requesting a two-year sentence in a settlement colony.
In January 2026, it became known that a case had been opened against Prudovskaya for unlawful deprivation of liberty in connection with the disappearance of her foster son.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
Other people prosecuted under Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.